[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]
Following the build up to PhotoPool 2025 coordinated by the HIVEArts team, David Simper caught the service 61 bus to see what was on offer on opening night.
On entering the gallery, I find the entry walls covered in large framed prints of very young looking rock and pop stars of early 1960s vintage, from the Rolleiflex of Paul Berriff OBE. Further into the gallery and on the gallery’s window sills, are prints from Albert Cooper’s library of sport photographs, including figures such as Jack Charlton, Alex Ferguson and Mohammed Ali.
The gallery is full of exuberant people and many of the HIVEArts team are there. Sarah Clarke-Lees made a welcoming speech. A stream of light snacks and refreshing drinks are available. Thanks to the HIVE team for these.
Paul Berriff’s incredible work features pop music icons, often at the start of their careers, looking very young (although some have now passed away), in stark, high contrast black and white. My eye was immediately drawn to the entire Jimi Hendrix Experience, all now gone, but also The Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison and The Beatles, plus several others. As a previous photographer for something called the Classic Rock Society, I am naturally jealous of the access here. Many frames had been taken in 1963, including an amazing shot of a fresh-faced Keith Richards, or 1964, so they are as old as me, while looking like in one sense, they could have been taken yesterday.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]I asked Paul how he got started with photography
“I started at sixteen years of age when I left school. When I was doing my paper round, I used to deliver the Life and Picture Post magazines, which were the big thing at the time. They produced these black and white images; TV wasn’t fully started back then. So I thought that I’d like to do this, I’d like to be a photographer. With the money from my paper round I bought a Rolleiflex (medium format) camera and I started following police cars and fire engines around; I used to do street scenes and I started working in the darkroom. That was about 1963 and at the same time what are now rock legends came on stream and I took them as my subject.”
How had Paul gained access to these people, which nowadays would clearly be impossible?
“It was no problem back then. I was in journalism and making contacts all the time and got to know the managers of all the cinemas and theatres, where people were appearing. That’s how I got back stage access. There was no security then. These people were at the start of their careers. Beatlemania was just starting. There were no problems going in and taking photographs.”
Do you stick to monochrome photography?
“I still think monochrome works best, it’s got a feel about it. I only learnt this a few years ago, the reason that people like black and white is that apparently your eye takes longer to scan it. So black and white gives more atmospheric pictures than colour.
What film did you start out using and what would you select now?
“I still use it, I use Kodak Tri-X film. I still use the same cameras that I used for the images here. Now I scan the negatives into my computer.”
Do you still have backstage access?
“I don’t do this kind of work now. After five years I was poached by the BBC to do television documentaries as well as my still work. All these pictures went into a cardboard box in my attic, I forgot about them for forty years. In 2011 I rediscovered them. I’m writing a book about my life, to include these images. Talk about finding a treasure chest in the attic!”
Many thanks to Paul for the story of his excellent photography.
Paul’s images share the gallery with equally striking pictures, albeit from an entirely different genre. Born in Barnsley in 1936, Albert Cooper has had a remarkable photographic career. Similarly to Paul he used money from a paper round to set himself up with photographic kit. His lens captured loved ones, nature’s beauty and life’s milestones, before he specialised in sports photography.
Over four decades, he has worked in football, golf, rugby, cricket, boxing, athletics, horse and motorcycle racing. Capturing action and emotion, his images have been circulated around the world. Several were familiar to me, including the horse racing picture.
Now resident in Lancashire, Albert has teamed up with grandson Matthew, to preserve and promote his life’s work and legacy, via Instagram and a virtual reality gallery.
His love and passion for photography remains undimmed.
This is a fine show in itself.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”54848″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” css=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”54849″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”54854″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” css=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”54858″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]
Other PhotoPool 2025 venues
- Art BnB
- Abingdon Street Market
- Showtown
- Backlot Cinema, and
- the tram shelter focused Promenade Photo Walk.
See HIVEArts social media for more programme information, or pick up a flyer from HIVE cafe.
The event continues until 17th August 2025.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
